The time of my life…

I can’t believe it’s two months since I posted my last blog. So much has happened in that short time. In some ways it has seemed like the blink of an eye, yet in others it has been a long, eventful time.

It’s strange how the nature of time changes. An hour is too short a time  to spend with a loved one, but it is far too long to sit with a bore or wait for a bus. I can drink a glass of champagne in seconds – but I take forever to get to the bottom of a glass of soluble aspirin. I don’t know if that is the same relativity that Einstein was on about, but the duration of time does seem to bear a direct correlation to what we are doing.

Over the past two months, between these two blogs, I have formed my own publishing company, completed and formatted my third novel, designed and produced the cover (including the dreaded blurb) and once it is proof read it will be ready for printing. I can’t believe how quickly all this has happened.The last time I produced a book – with the cost and assistance of a publisher – it took an incredibly frustrating and interminably long seven months. Doing it all myself has taken no time at all. The difference has been the enjoyment factor.

In that same two months time I have read four books, three I couldn’t put down and one I never had the time to finish. I have watched ten movies, seen two plays and had a brilliantly hectic social life. The time has flown by. I have also had a chest infection and a mild depression which just went on and on. I have been to parties, dinners and  lunches – all far too short and have watched the season change from bright summer to misty autumn. Another year nearly over. The drive to the house has been relaid, but remains unfinished, the windows have been cleaned four times and my dogs have had a Westie to stay for five weeks. Alan had a birthday, with a super party and my friend’s lovely cat died aged nineteen. I’ll let you guess how the time passed for each of these events.

This time last year I thought my sister was dying. Time was heavy and cruel, as it crept along. Then, just two weeks ago we went away together for a few short days at a health resort. The sun shone and the days were over before they began. Marie is able to enjoy life again and  I am delighted. I am still going to Tai Chi – still loving it, still learning slowly but surely. They say it takes a life time. Tomorrow we are going with old friends to see the National Dressage Finals.(I seem to remember riding in another life.) I can’t wait, but I know that too soon this weekend will be just another lovely memory.

I have promised myself not to get aerated about my forthcoming book. So far I am managing to keep calm and work methodically. I have no time pressures, no deadlines to meet, no one but myself to chivy. That may be why I am enjoying the process. Or it could be because I am in control. Either way the lesson I shall take from it is this. As time is relative, I can decide whether to enjoy my life and let it hurry by – or be a miserable cow and take a long time wallowing in static misery. So I intend to keep busy: to have a life rich in memories and crammed with new experiences. If, when I reach the end, it seems to have gone too quickly and been too short, so be it. I just hope I will not look back and wish it had ended sooner because it was too bloody boring. I want my life to be sweet and if that makes it shorter that’s okay by me. I do however want each gin I sup to be very long and very dry!